“There now, pretty baby”

Mary Kubica is one of my new favorite authors. I loved The Good Girl, and Pretty Baby is just as unnerving.

The main character, Heidi Wood, is a mother and deeply committed to helping others. It is easy to relate to her caring for life. She even brings in stray cats, something I can definitely compare myself too.

“And as is the case with most things in our marriage, she didn’t ask. She told me. We’re keeping them.” – Chris

Her husband, Chris, is the opposite, consumed with making more money and keeping the status quo.

“Heidi didn’t obsess with money like everyone else I knew. She obsessed with the lack of money, the have-nots verses the haves, where all I was concerned with was the haves. Who had the most money and how could I get my hands on some?” – Chris

When Heidi sees a young woman, assumingly homeless, on the train with a baby, she is compelled to help her. She invites her, Willow, into her home with her husband and daughter. Despite the dangers, Heidi must help them. Willow is a complicated girl and has many secrets. She is oppressed, damaged, and a little crazy; only fair due to what she has been through.

“Free and uninhibited as I only wish I could be.” – Willow

The story spirals into depths you are not expecting. Pretty Baby is darker than I was prepared for. Definitely a psychological thriller with an unexpected ending. If you liked The Good Girl, you will like this for sure. Have you read it? What did you think?